Reviews
The Avengers (1998)
Poor
Back in Britain in the 60s, The Avengers was a new, vital, offbeat, quirky, extremely entertaining series. It was completely different from anything else available on TV, streets ahead of any other offering.
It is better to remember the various series than re-watch them, however. At first, I was excited when they were shown on TV recently. But I soon stopped watching them. They didn't age well.
When the movie came out, it didn't work on any level. It wasn't like the original series, so it didn't please those who expected it to be. It didn't have a good enough plot, and the actors seemed to have no idea who they were supposed to be playing.
Ralph Fiennes' performance was flat. Uma Thurman as Mrs Peel was the most spectacular piece of miscasting since Nastassja Kinski as Tess (of the D'Urbervilles)! Why not use British actresses for British roles?
One change I really didn't like. In the original series, there is no sexual relationship between Steed and Mrs Peel. Steed is a partner, a mentor, not a lover. In one of the final episodes, we even see Mr Peel, Emma's husband (he looks suspiciously like Patrick Macnee, of course). Steed is a gentleman, he would never presume on a married woman.
The relationship was very interesting, nonetheless. Making them lovers in the movie was a loss rather than a gain. All in all, a poor movie with few redeeming features.
The Puppet Masters (1994)
Terrible
This movie has all the elements I like. Donald Sutherland is one of my favorite actors, I like Science Fiction, Robert Heinlein is one of my favorite authors. I also like horror movies. How could all these potentially great elements be combined into one of the worst movies I've ever seen? It is forgivable to change the story, if the changes make for better filming, but in this movie the changes don't improve anything. The added material is pointless as well. I could go on for many lines, but this abysmal movie is just not worth wasting the time. What's the line? "They managed to snatch failure from the very jaws of success"!
Sleuth (1972)
A really great movie
In my opinion, one of the best movies ever made. Only 3 (!) actors, all the action takes place in three or four rooms in a single house.
It doesn't sound like much, yet the characters and plot twists are endlessly fascinating. You would think that after viewing it once, and discovering the answers to all the twists, it would lose something in future viewings. This isn't the case. Even the big surprise in the second half never seems to lose it's appeal. I've probably watched this movie over twenty times, and each time it is just as fascinating.